Financial Token With Onboard Capacitor Power

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Solution Overview

Problem

Financial transaction cards lack an onboard power source, are dependent on external power sources, and have security vulnerabilities due to limited power and proximity requirements, making them inactive outside POS terminals and susceptible to account compromise.

Innovation Solution

A financial transaction token with an onboard energy storage device, such as a thin-film capacitor, that provides power to electronics without external sources, includes reprogrammable magnetic stripes, and biometric authentication, allowing operation away from POS terminals and enhanced security.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If contactless smart cards use RF electromagnetic fields for power, then the card can operate without physical contact with POS terminal, but the card must be in close proximity (10 cm) to the terminal and cannot operate outside the immediate area

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontactless operationVSAvoidoperational range

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the power source dependency from the external environment by incorporating an onboard energy storage device (capacitor or battery) into the card itself. This allows the card to store and supply power independently, eliminating the need for close proximity to a power source while maintaining contactless operation capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Power

If the card uses limited power from short range RF fields, then the card can operate near POS terminal, but the card cannot provide sophisticated electronic computations or support power consuming circuitry such as displays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveavailable powerVSAvoidcomputational capability

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-storing energy in an onboard energy storage device before the card needs to perform sophisticated operations. This accumulated power reserve enables the card to support power-consuming features like displays and complex computations without requiring continuous external power supply during operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If the card employs cryptographic security algorithms, then the card provides security protection, but the algorithms can be cracked or decoded if time and electrical current for encryption operations are measured

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidsecurity vulnerability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent provides beforehand cushioning by incorporating an energy storage device that ensures sufficient power availability during cryptographic operations. This power reserve prevents power depletion during encryption/decryption processes, eliminating the vulnerability where measured time and current could expose security algorithms to cracking attempts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

4Power

If the card uses traditional batteries as power source, then the card has sufficient power for operations, but the card uses hazardous chemicals associated with typical power sources

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower outputVSAvoidhazardous chemicals

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional batteries with a capacitor-based energy storage system. Capacitors can be rapidly recharged and disposed of or replaced without the hazardous chemical waste problems associated with batteries. The system uses a rechargeable capacitor that can be quickly replenished from external power sources, eliminating chemical hazards while maintaining adequate power output.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables secure and flexible financial transactions away from POS terminals with onboard power, reprogrammable features, and biometric authentication, reducing security risks and operational limitations.

Implementation Method 1

the onboard energy storage device includes a capacitor such as a thin-film capacitor that stores sufficient energy to power the token's onboard electronics

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapacitance: Capacitance

Implementation Method 2

some enhanced financial transaction cards obtain power from a terminal-generated RF electromagnetic field by way of an inductor that is part of the card's circuitry

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentUS8429085B2Financial transaction token with onboard power source

Publication Date: 2013.04.23 VISA USA INC

AI summary

There is provided a card or token for use in financial transactions. The financial transaction token or card has an onboard energy storage device that enables onboard electronics to operate when the card is not in the proximity of a merchant Point-Of-Service (POS) terminal. In one implementation, the onboard energy storage device includes a capacitor such as a thin-film capacitor that stores sufficient energy to power onboard electronics without the need for an onboard battery. The card may be incorporated within various conventional apparatus such as a see-through and/or protective substrate, an item of clothing, an item of jewelry, a cell phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a credit card, an identification card, a money holder, a wallet, a personal organizer, a keychain payment tag, and like personality.